Interlocking roofing tile



Patented Dec. 31, 1940 PATENT OFFICE l 2,226,560 INTERLOCKING RoorINGTILE Richard Hedrick, Sr., lLos Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half toAlbert P. Myers, LosAngeles,

Calif.

Application March 31, 1939, serian No. 265,195V

y'7 Claims.

My invention relates to an interlocking roofing tile and has for itsprincipal objects; to generally improve upo'n and simplify theconstruction of the existing forms of roofing tiles, to construct thetile with reiniorcementswithout materially increasing the weight of theindividual tile and further, to arrange the reinforcements on the tilesso that the latter are automatically spaced when assembled and laid on aroof or the like.

Further objects of my invention are, to construct the tile so that whenproperly laid the individual tile are effectively interlocked with eachother, thus minimizing the possibility of the tile being blown oi theroof by heavy winds, further, to construct the interlocking tile so thatunder certain conditions, for instance, on roofs of low pitch, the tilemay be assembled to form av roof covering without the use of nails orlike fastening devices and which arrangement results from theinterlocking of the tile when properly assembled and further, to provideinterlocking til-e of strong and substantial construction capable of'being easily and quickly laid to form the' roof covering and theindividual tile having sufficient overlap to produce maximum protectionagainst the elements when the tile are assembled to form the coveringfor a roof lor the like.

A further object of my inventionis, to provide an interlocking roofingtile of the character referred to that may be laid on the roof sheetingwith either side uppermost,`thus enabling two substantially differentroof patterns to` be produced with the same tile and without sacrificingany of the desirable features and advantages of the tile, for instance,the strength thereof and also the interlocking effect that is producedthroughout the entire length 0f the tile When assembled. y

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features Vof construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing in which: y

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the lower left hand comer of a roof andsho-wing a number of the tile assembled and laid thereon to form the.roof covering.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig'. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the tile and looking against theupper surface thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the tile in inverted position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tile that is used at the lower lefthand corner of a roof covering or the like.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a relatively narrow border tile that isused at the ends or the sides of the roof.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 1.

The individual tile utilized in forming the main portion of the roofcovering is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and said tile comprises asubstantially rectangular slab I0, preferably COmDOSed of vitrified clayor earthern material and, the body of said tile having a lengthapproximately twice its width.

The side edges II of the tile are beveled or inclined inwardly towardtheir lower edges so that the width of the upper face of the tile isslightly greater than'the width of its under face. I

Formed integral'with the central porion of the tile on the under Sidethereof and extending the full length of the tile body is a atreinforcing rib I2, thethickness of which is approximately equal to thethickness of the tile body and thus it may be said that the longitudinalmedial portion of the tile body is of double thickness with respect tothe thickness of its side portions or those portions to the sides of thereinforcement.

The side faces I3 of the reinforcing rib I2 are beveled or inclined Isothat theunder face of the rib is slightly wider thanthat portion of therib that is joined to the tile body I0.

Formed integral with the upper surface of the tile body immediatelyadjacent the beveled side edges II and extending from th-e butt end ofthe tile toward theopposite end, are narrow reinforcing ribs I4 that aresubstantially square or rectangular in4 cross section. The length ofthese ribs is preferably somewhat less than the over-all length of thebody of the tile and said ribs determine the length of longitudinaloverlap between the tile when the same are assembled -to form a roofstructure.

Formed through the upper end portion of the body I0 of the tile adjacentthe corners thereof are apertures I5 and if desired, correspondingapertures I6 may be formed adjacent the upper end of the tile bodythrough the reinforcement I2. These apertures are for the reception ofnails that secure the tile to the roof sheeting or other structure uponwhich the tile are laid.

A special tile that is used at the lower left 'hand corner of the roofcovering is illustrated in Fig. V6

and this tile has the same width and length as the tile I0. I'hisspecial tile comprises a slab II, preferably composed of vitried clay orthe like and, formed on the under side of the left hand portion of thebody of this tile is a longitudinally disposed reinforcement I 8, thethickness of which is substantially equal to the thickness of the bodyI1 of the tile so that the left hand portion of this tile has doublethickness.

The longitudinal shoulder I9 between the right hand edge of thereinforcement I8 and the body II of the tile is beveled or inclined sothat the under face of the reinforcement has slightly greater width thanthat portion of the reinforcement that joins the tile body II.

Formed on the lower portion of the upper face of the slab II immediatelyadjacent both side edges thereof and extending from the butt end towardthe other end are narrow reinforcing ribs 20, the length of which equalsthe length of the reinforcing ribs I4 on the tile I0 and, these `ibs 20are substantially square in cross section. The right hand edge 2I of thetile body I'I is inclined o r beveled inwardly. y

Formed through the upper portion of the tile body I'I and thereinforcement I8 are apertures 22 for the reception of nails or the likethat are utilized in securing the corner tile to the sheeting or roofstructure. i

A tile practically identical with the corner tile I'I but with thereinforcement I8 disposed on the under side of the right hand portion ofthe tile body is utilized as the corner tile at the lower right handcorner of the roof covering formed by my improved tile.

In order that the tile fonning the lowermost course or those tileimmediately adjacent the eaves or lower edge of the roof structure maybe laid in proper spaced relation, substantially rectangular slabs 23 ofvitried clay or the like are provided and, each of these spacingtileshas approximately the same width as the width of the tile I0 and Il andthe length of said spacing tile being slightly greater than half thelength of said tile I0 and I'I. l

The side edges 24 of the spacing tile are nclined or beveled so that theupper face of each tile is slightly greater in width than the under faceand when laid, these beveled faces I9 dovetail and consequentlyinterlock with the correspondingly beveled side faces II of the tile IIIand the beveled side face of the reinforcing member I8 of the cornertile (see Fig. 2).

Formed through the upper portion of each spacing tile 23 adjacent itscorners are apertures 25 for the reception of nails or like fasteningdevices.

A side border tile illustrated-in Fig. 7 comprises a narrow slab 26 ofvitried clay or the like, the width of which is approximately onethirdthe width of the tile Il) and, formed on top of the lower portion ofthis border tile adjacent its side edges and extending from the butt endtoward the other end are narrow reinforcing ribs 2l that areapproximately ysquare in cross section and, their length being equal tothe length v of the reinforcing ribs I4 and 2i).

under side of the overlying tile IIJ in the next upper course. Formedthrough the upper portion of this narrow border tile, is one or moreapertures such as 29 for the reception of a nail or like fasteningdevice.

Obviously, the border tile 26 used on the right hand end of the roofnecessarily have their left hand side edges beveled or inclined so as toengage the right hand beveled edge I3 on the reinforcement I2 of theoverlying tile I0. Y

In laying my improved interlocking tile on a roof, a narrow eaves stripE is applied to the roof sheeting S immediately adjacent its lower edgeand the corner tile I1 is now laid on the corner of the sheeting withits butt portion resting on the strip E as illustrated in Fig. 8.

If the tile are to be anchored to the roof sheeting with nails or thelike, the latter are driven through the apertures 22 into the roofsheeting and a series of alternately arranged -tile ID and spacing tile23 are now laid along the lower portion of the sheeting with the lowerportions of said tile resting on the strip E.

The first spacing tile 23 has its left hand beveled edge 24 dovetailedagainst the correspondingly beveled right hand edge I9 of thereinforcement I8 on the corner tile and, the subsequent tile` I0 of thelower course are disposed in spaced relation with the' spacing tile 23disposed between said tile I0 and with the beveled side edges of thereinforcements I2 in dovetailed and interlocking engagement with thecorrespondingly inclined side edges 24 of the spacing tile.

As the lowermost course of tile I and spacing tile 23 arevthus laid,they may be secured to the roof sheeting by means of nails or the like,driven through the apertures I5, I6 and 25.

In starting the second course of tile, one of the narrow tile 2E is laidon the upper left hand portion of the corner tile I'I, with the outeredges of the two tile in alignment with each other and with the butt`end of the narrow tile 26 bearing against the upper end of the lefthand one of the reinforcing ribs 20.

The tile I0 forming the second course are now positioned immediatelyabove the tile forming the rst course and, said second course tile arepositioned so that when moved downwardly the lower portions of thereinforcing ribs I2 will pass between and thereby dovetail and interlockwith the correspondingly inclined side edges II of the tile in theunderlying course and, this movement of the second course tile iscontinued until the butt ends of said second course tile engage againstthe upper ends of the reinforcing ribs I4 on the tile in the lowercourse.

'Ihus the ri'bs I4 in addition to reinforcing the lower portions of thetile serve to determine the overlap between the tiles of the succeedingcourses and, the engagement between the beveled side edges on the bodiesof the tile and on the reinforcernents I2 on the under sides of saidtile,

provide an interlocking arrangement that eiTec-I tually maintains thetile in assembled relation and, in some instances enables the roof to belaid without the necessity for nails or like fastening devices.

Further, the dovetailing connections between the tile and thereinforcing ribs I4 provide simple and eflicient means that enables thetile to be easily and quickly assembled without the requirement formeasurements and the use of guide lines and thus, the work incident tothe laying of the roof is facilitated and a saving of labor is effected.

The dovetail connections between the tile min- Cil imize the possibilityof the tile being blown olf the roof by heavy winds and, the reinforcingribs on the lower portions of the upper faces of the tile preventl thelatter from sliding lengthwise with respect to each other after beinglaid.

Inasmuch as the end portions of the wide reinforcements I2 on the underfaces of the tile rest directly upon the upper end portions of the nextadjacent lower course of tile and upon the roof sheeting, the tile hasample strength to resist the strains resulting from substantial weights,for instance, the weight of a person walking over the tile` Ihe mannerof reinforcing my improved tile imparts to the latter certain advantagesin both manufacturing, the shipping and the handling cf the tile, forsuch reinforcement materially cuts do-wn breakage in the handling of thetile botn before and after burning and further, such arrangement willaid greatly, due to the convenience of setting the tile in the kiln, assuch reinforcements present straight lines in their construction so thatthey match and align with each other to advantage during production,firing, and handling.

When the roof covering composed of the interlocking tile has beencompleted, the ribs I4, 20 and 21 that extend along the margins of theends of the roof prevent rain water running down the roof from runningover the edges at the ends thereof and, the exposed surfaces of the tileat the ends of the roof between the pairs of ribs I4, 21 and 20constitute practically continuous channels that carry rain waterdownwardly to the eaves of the roof, thus minimizing the possibility ofany water overflowing the marginal ribs I4, 21 and 20.

In the foregoing description I have referred to the face of the tilehaving the side ribs I4 as the upper or exposed face, but it is to beunderstood that if desired the tile may be laid on the roof sheetingwith the ribs I4 resting directly upon the roof sheeting and with thecentrally arranged rib I2 on the upper or exposed face of f the tile.

The tile when thus arranged produce a roof characterized by a series ofpractically continuous upstanding ribs that extend from the eaves of theroof to the ridge thereof and which continuous ribs are produced by thelongitudinally aligned arrangement of the ribs I2 on the individualtile.

This arrangement produces a roof of novel and pleasing effect without inany way affecting the strength of the roof or the interlockingengagement between the tile that compose the roof.

In Fig. 5 the tile is shown with the rib I2 on its uppermost face.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an interlocking roong tilethat is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufactureand very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved interlocking roofingtile, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described,without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which isset forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An interlocking roofing tile comprising a flat slab, a centrallyarranged reinforcing rib formed on the under face of said slab andextending the entire length thereof and a pair of reinforcing ribsformed on the upper face of the slab adjacent its side edges andextending from the butt end of the slab part way toward the other end.

2. An interlocking roofing tile as set forth in claim 1 andthe sidefaces of the reinforcement on the under side of the slab being beveled.

3. An interlocking roofing tile as set forth in claim 1 and the sideedges of which slab are beveled.

4. An interlocking roong tile as set forth in claim 1 and there beingapertures formed through said slab near its upper end for the receptionof fastening means.

5. An interlocking roofing tile comprising a flat slab, theside edgesthereof being beveled, reinforcing ribs formed on the upper surface ofsaid slab along the side edges thereof and extending from the butt endthereof part away toward the opposite end and a centrally arrangedreinforcing rib formed on the under face of the slab and extending fromend to end thereof.

6. A roofing tile comprising a flat slab, reinforcing ribs formed on theupper surface of said slab along its side edges and extending from thebutt end of the slab part way toward the other end, the side faces ofwhich ribs are disposed at right angles to the upper face of the slab,the side edges of the slab being beveled and a longitudinally disposedreinforcement on the under face of said slab and extending the entirelength thereof.

7. An interlocking roong tile comprising a fiat slab having beveled sideedges, a centrally arranged reinforcing rib extending lengthwise on theunder side of said slab from one end thereof to the other, whichreinforcement is dovetail shape in cross section and reinforcing ribsformed on the upper surface of said slab along the side edges thereofand extending from the butt end of the slab part way toward the otherend, the side edges of which ribs are disposed at right angles to theupper face of said slab.

RICHARD IIEDRICH, SR.

